Miami Lakes Vice Mayor Rodriguez and wife test positive for COVID-19

Miami Lakes Vice Mayor Nelson Rodriguez and his wife Lisa Rodriguez tested positive for COVID-19 in early June.
The couple is staying at home until they are well.
So far, Rodriguez is the first town council member to test positive for the upper respiratory disease, Clarisell De Cardenas, communications director for the town, said Wednesday.
Rodriguez, 52, is a firefighter/paramedic in Coral Gables. He announced June 15 on Facebook that he had contracted the highly contagious virus.
He said he and his wife, Lisa, a nurse, are in quarantine at home until they receive two negative test results before they can return to work.
The couple's two children at home have tested negative for the virus, according to their father.
Rodriguez said Wednesday that he and his wife learned they were infected in early June.
"As soon as that happened, we went into self-isolation," Rodriguez said. "Staying in our rooms and wearing masks if I needed anything in the house. The most important thing for me was to make sure my family is healthy."
Rodriguez has served on the town council since 2012 and is term-limited this year. He’s in the middle of a campaign, along with fellow Republican candidate Thomas Fabricio, to try and unseat State Rep. Cindy Polo, D-Miramar this fall.
Rodriguez said he decided to post the Facebook video about his illness after residents asked why they hadn’t seen him at town events.
Rodriguez said he woke up one morning with a headache that was similar to a sinus infection and light body pain, which prompted him and his wife to get tested.
Their symptoms were not severe enough for them to be hospitalized.
"No shortness of breath and no fever," he said. "Luckily, we have had very little and light symptoms."
Rodriguez said he reached out to people who he may have come in contact with and urged them to get tested.
Rodriguez had a message for residents.
"I suggest you follow CDC guidelines and wear your masks and do social distancing," he said. "As a public official and health care responder, it's been an interesting experience for me."
Miami Lakers sent good wishes to the couple on social media.
The number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise in Florida.
On June 18, there were 85,926 cases in the state and 3,061 deaths, according to the Florida Department of Health.
There were 23,854 cases in Miami-Dade County, with 859 deaths. Miami Lakes had 83 cases.

In the photo, Miami Lakes Councilman Luis Collazo, Vice Mayor Nelson Rodriguez and Mayor Manny Cid present a plaque to retiring teacher Karen Baumholtz on June 2 at Miami Lakes Middle School. Photo: Linda Trischitta, The Miami Laker.